Ice rink project needs traffic signal

Developers will pay but need the county to sponsor the light.

February 06, 2004|By Gerry McClenahan Special to The Morning Call - Freelance

A developer is proposing to build a 75,000-square-foot arena that would include space for several ice skating rinks and spectator stands near Cressona Mall in North Manheim Township, Schuylkill County, said an attorney involved in the project.

An Arby's restaurant has committed to the site at Hoss's Steakhouse near the mall, said Edward E. Davis of WJP Engineering of Pottsville.

But the project could be scrapped because developers said they need a traffic light to make the plan work, Davis said.

Davis and attorney James Diehl, also of WJP Engineering, asked county commissioners Wednesday to sponsor a traffic light on Route 183 in the Connors Crossing area of the township.

WJP represents Hoss's and Miller Brothers Construction, which own the land for the project. Davis refused to identify the developer of the ice rink.

"It's big -- 280 feet by 280 feet -- with capacity for several rinks, for hockey and such, for youth leagues and ice skating," Davis said.

The Arby's would be in the Hoss's lot next to the steakhouse, and the arena in the Miller Brothers lot behind the steakhouse.

The project would create a four-way intersection where the mall entrance meets Route 183. Across from that, the entrance to Hoss's parking lot would be widened and straightened.

The cost for the road project, a traffic study last fall and the traffic light was estimated at $40,000.

Davis said his clients would pay for the light and operating costs. But the state requires municipal sponsorship to issue a permit for the traffic light.

"One project is contingent on the light, and from what I understand the other [project] has already started looking at other possible sites," Davis said.

Township supervisors refused to reconsider sponsoring the light.

The county has an identical policy against sponsoring lights, adopted in 2002 partly because of North Manheim's refusal to sponsor a stoplight on Route 61 the previous year.

"It was just too easy for the municipalities to say no, we are not going to pay for it, if they know the county will just turn around and pay for it," Commissioner Chairman Frank Staudenmeier said.

Commissioner Robert S. Carl said the county's 2002 resolution stated the county would not take responsibility for traffic lights that benefit private parties, although he added this request may be different.

"I think that the main thing was that the county did not want to end up being responsible, financially, for the lights," Carl said.

Staudenmeier said the request will appear on the agenda for the commissioners' meeting Wednesday.

"All I can tell you is that it will be on the agenda," Staudenmeier said. "No decision has been made."

The developers are hoping for quick action.

"It's all ready and the application is ready to go to the state. It just needs a municipal sponsor," Davis said.